First look: Mitsubishi reveals next Outlander

MITSUBISHI has unveiled its new-generation Outlander small four-wheel drive wagon.

Clearly keen to win back buyers disenfranchised by the controversial designs which emerged from the den of former design chief Olivier Boulay, Mitsubishi said this week the new Outlander has "sporty DNA" and "SUV DNA" which illustrate the company’s latest approach to car development and building.

Built on a newly developed platform shared with Peugeot and Citroen, the Outlander is claimed to have "high crash safety", a new body and chassis with technologies "grown by the Lancer Evolution" models and a new 2.4-litre engine featuring an aluminium cylinder block.

And turmoil continues...

STRUGGLING Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has sunk deeper into the red, recording a net loss for the year to March 31 of $US4.39 billion.

The company’s net loss more than doubled from last year but was in line with expectations, as restructuring costs added to its burden.

Its operating loss widened to 128.54 billion yen from 96.85 billion yen, but was slightly better than an estimate of 135 billion, according to Reuters.

The manufacturer, 13 per cent owned by DaimlerChrysler AG, is alone among Japanese car-makers in posting a loss last year.

Revenues dropped 16 per cent to 2.123 trillion yen as slight growth in Europe and South-East Asia were overwhelmed by a drop in almost every other market.

Global sales fell 14 per cent to 1.313 million vehicles last year, with volumes in Japan plunging 37 per cent to 227,000 units.

The company has projected a return to profit in the financial year ending in March 2007.